Roger Alton: a newspaper force of nature. Photograph: Martin Godwin for the Observer

After the heartfelt farewells to Alan Rusbridger comes an equally heartfelt tip of the cap to Roger Alton, once features supremo at the Guardian, then editor of this paper, then editor of the Independent and lately executive editor of the Times.

There’s no need, surely, to go on more commodiously about Rusbridger’s brilliance – except that it was his brilliant idea to put Alton in charge of the Observer. But it does need to be said that Roger was, and is, one of journalism’s forces of nature: a fount of talent, professionalism, intuition – and fun.

Whenever you worked with him or for him, there were good times and great laughs. You were always eager to go into work, to see the sweat drip, to hear the undeleted expletives, and know that you’d been part of something special.